Film-socket.



H. H. ASHINGVER.-

FILM socm. APPLICATION FILED JUNE I6. |917.

1,274,495. 'f Pndmg. 6,1918.

Z Y Y '3072 Novus rmrs ca, lwmuummA vmmamn. n c

H. H. ASHINGER.

FILM SOCKET.

APPLlc/mopa HLED JUNE 16. 1.917.

Patented Aug. 6, 1918` 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 a.. wAsumcmn. n cA UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERMAN II. ASI-IINGER, OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO GEORGE CUTTER COMPANY, OF SOUTIIBENI), INDIANA, A. CORPORATION OF INDIANA.

FILM-ASO CKET.

Application led .Tune 16, 1917.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, I-InnMAN II. AsnINGnR, a citizen of the United States, residing at South Bend, in the county of St. .Ioseph and State ot Indiana, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Film- Soelets, ot which the following is a specilication.

My invention relates to iilm sockets, especially oit the type used in series lighting. Devices ot' this class usually have an automatic short circuiting switch which is closed when the lamp is absent and automatically opened when the lamp is inserted. They also have an insulating lihn which becomes punctured when the voltage becomes excessive. Inv the lorm of device selected to illustrate the invention, the lamp screws into a shell or socket which carries the iilm and iihn retainer. This shell is designed to enter and be supported by an insulating base provided with binding posts for attachment to the supply conductors. The objects of the invention are lirst, to provide a construction by which the lilm may be instantly removed or replaced by a simple manipulation et' a @imply construct-ed part; second, to provide a construction by which the pressure upon the lilm remains constant regardless of the distance to which the lamp is inserted into Vthe shell or the shell is insert-ed into the base; third, to provide a construction by which a single lilni may be used over again a number of times after it has been punctured; iourth, to provide means whereby the shell, with or without the lamp in place in it, may be inserted into the base or withdrawn therefrom by a straight line push or pull, respectively; fifth, to provide means for preventing the shell from being jarred loose Jfrom the base; sixth, to provide means for automatically preventing rotation ot the shell after it has been inserted; seventh, to provide certain advantageous details of construction which will be explained in the following description.

These objects are accomplished by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is an assembly view taken in section upon an axial plane.

Fig. 2 is similar to Fig. l, but shows simply the base with the shell and lamp absent,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 6, 1918.

Serial No. 175,113.

Fig. 3 is an axial section of the shell.

a front or face view of the base. Fig. 5 is a front or face view ot' the shell. Fig. G is a sectional view on the line 6, 6,

Eig. l.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the terminals and spring clips of the base. In this view the parts are shown to be unsupported, the purpose being to more graphically represent the relative position of the parts.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of 'the shell looking at the inner end thereof and showing clearly the construction and arrangement. of the tlhn and film retainer.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view on the line 9, 9, Fig. 8.

F 10 is a perspective view illustrating the manner of 'n'ianipulating the iilm retainer.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In the particular embodiment of the in` vention here illustrated, the shell is of metal, preferably copper, and has screw threads l for receiving the threaded base 2 of the lamp 3. The shell has a riig l of insulating material by which it is manipulated. At the inner end the shell has an annular groove 5 for receiving the shoulders 6 formed upon the spring clips mounted in the base 7. By preference, the walls of the base are annular and the clips are formed in four parts or sections, the section S forming a foot by which the clip is secured in place, the section 9 lying adjacent to the inner surface ot the wall ot the base, the section IO containing the shoulder (5 and the section 1l being mounted at the free end of section l0 and extending toward the section 9. Sections 10 and ll form spring elements, the outer end of section 1l sliding upon section 9 and supplementing the spring action of section 10. The parts are so arranged that when the shell is given a straight line push toward and'into the base, the shoulders 6 automatically slip into the groove 5 and hold the shell securely in position. By preference, the spring clips are three in number and arranged equidistantly in the base. Pockets 12 are formed in groove 5 to receive the shoulders 6. The result is that by rotating the shell a short distance, the shoulders will drop into the pockets 12 and prevent further rotation in either direction,

Consequently, when the shelluis once in place and the shoulders are in the pockets a lamp may be screwed in or out without changing the position of the shell.

The base is provided with two binding posts 1-l, 15 for connection to the external supply conductors. These posts are electrically connected to conductive str ps 16 and 17 respectively, which are held in place by bolts 1S, 19, respectively. The bolt 18 serves to electrically connect strap 1G with one of the spring fingers, while bolt 1S) serves to electrically connect strap 17 to spring switch 20. lhen the shell is absent, switch 2O engages the extended end 21 of one of the clips as best shown in Figs, 2 and 7. This short circuits the binding posts and completes the circuit through the device so that the other lamps in the circuit may continue to glow.

The spring line switch Q0 has a bend in position to be engaged by the center screw Q4- of the vlamp shell. lVhen the lamp shell is in position in the base, this screw raises said switch from the extension 21 and thus breaks the circuit at this point. Screw Q11 is fastened tothe inner end of the shell through the agency of insulating disks 25, as shown in detail in Fig. 9 and elsewhere.

VThe inner end of said center screw is in electric connection with the sprinp` switch 2G which engages the lip Q7 formed on the side of the shell, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 3. lVhen the center screw is in engagement with the bend 23. it is in electric contact therewith and this puts the spring switch 26 in electric connection with switch 20. Switch 2G which will be referred to as the socket switch to distinguish it from the line switch 20 is in position to be engaged and lifted by the center contact 28 of the lamp, as shown in Fig. 1. Thus, it

will be seen that when the lamp is absent' from the shell the socket switch 2G will engage the lip 2T and thus complete the circuit from the center' screw Q41 to the shell itself. Hence when all the parts are assembled the two switches 20 and 2G will be open and the circuit will be completed through the lamp while if the lamp is absent, the circuit will be completed through lthe socket switch 2G and if the socket or shell. is absent the circuit will be completed through the base switch 20.

Electrically connected with the center screw 24 is a strip 30. It consists of resilient conductive material and passes out through an aperture 31 in the side of the shell as shown in perspective in Fig. S. lt connects with and forms an integral part of the film retainer. Said retainer consists of a ring 32 having feet 33 which press npon the annular film 34 and held it in position against the end ef the shell or socket. T he film retainer has an ear 35 by which it may be lifted in the manner indicated in Fig. 10. As the ring is open in the center, it affords a space through which the center screw 2a may engage the bend-23 of the base switch 20.

In operation, when the lamp is absent and the shell or socket is absent from the base, the base and the shell will appear' as shown in F 2 and 3. The line switch will be closed and thusV hold the line circuit closed. Let it be assumed that the operator intro duces the lamp base into the shell before inserting the shell into the base receptacle.

By so doing, he will cause the lamp to open the socket switch 2G. The operator then pushes the shell in a straight line into the base, thereby opening the line switch 20 and putting the lamp in circuit. By rotating the shell slightly, the shoulders 6 of the spring clip will drop into the pockets 12 and thus prevent the shell from being rotated any further. This makes it possible to remove the lamp by unscrewing it, for the socket will be prevented from rotating in unison with the lamp. t will be noted that the iilin retainer being circular, surrounds and clears the center screw 2li and is at all times free from physical interference with any of the surrounding parts of the device. It makes no difference how hard the shell is pushed into the base nor how tightly the lamp is screwed into the shell, there is nothing to vary the pressure of the film retainer on the film. The result is that the only pressure exerted by the retainer upon the tihn is the pressure generated by its own resilience. In other words, the retainer is spring actuated and the pressure never varies no mattei' how the device is used. This is important, for it will be understood that the greater the pressure upon the film the more. easily will it puncture under a given voltage. In my device, as the pressure always remains the same, the tilin will be punctured or disruptured always at substantially the same voltage, thus making` it possible to design the parts more accurately and make it possible to more accurately control the voltage at which puncturing will occur. The replacing or removal of a lm is a very simple matter. All that is necessary is for the operator to lift the retainer by applying his thumb to the ear 35, as illustrated in Fig. 10. The film may then be placed or removed by .simply laying it in position or lifting it olf.

Then for any cause the voltage becomes eX- cessive, the film will be punetured at the pointsrwhere the feet 33 engage it. Only a small area of the film will be broken down and consequently, after a film has thus been punctured, all that is necessary is to raise the retainer and rotate the ilm slightly so that the feet will contact a fresh surface of the film. As a result of my construction, a single film may be used a number of times by merely shifting it angularly in this way. The saving effected is not so much in the cost of the films as in the trouble of rcplacing.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. A lilm socket having a base provided with av self closing line switch, a dielectric film, a metallic shell adapted to be inserted into the base and thereby open the line switch and put said shell in circuit, said shell being internally threaded to' take a standard electric lamp base, the inner end of the shell being adapted to support the dielectric film, anda resilient film retainer inherently tending to press the film against the external surface of the inner end of the shell, said retainer being fastened to the shell at.a point other than the external surface of the inner end of said shell.

2. A film socket having a base provided with a self closing line switch, a dielectric film, a metallic shell adapted to be inserted into the base and thereby open the line switch and put said shell in circuit, said shell being internally threaded to take a standard electric lamp base, the inner end of the shell being adapted to support the dielectric film, and a resilient li'lm retainer securedl to said shell, the film bearing directly on the external surface of the inner end ofthe shell itself, and the retainer passing around over the edge of said inner end, and being fastened at a point beneath.

A film socket having a base provided with a self closing line switch, a dielectric film, a metallic shell adapted to be inserted into the base and thereby open the line switch and put said shell in circuit, said shell being internally threaded to take a standard electric lamp base, the inner end of the shell having a flat surface at right angles to the axis of the socket for supporting the film, and aresilient lilm retainer, one portion of which overlies the lilm, and presses upon it, for retaining it, said retainer passing thence over and around the edge of the end surface of the shell and being fastened at a point underneath.

l. A device of the class described having two terminals, one making electric connection with the center contact of the lamp when the lamp is in place and the other making connection with the outer contact of the lamp, a disruptable dielectric, and a retainer therefor, said retainer being in series with one of said terminals and separated from the other of said terminals by said dielectric, said dielectric being annular and the terminals upon which it rests having an annular surface for supporting it, whereby the dielectric may be angularly shifted to a new position, and one of the elements between which the dielectric s disposed having puncture defining projections directed toward the other of said elements.

En a ilm socket, a base, a metallic shell secured thereto and internally threaded to take the base of an electric lamp, there being an annular surface at the inner end of the shell, a film retainer mounted on the shell and in electric connection with the center Contact of the lamp when the lamp is in place, an annular film inserted between the shelll and the retainer, and one of the. elcments between which the lilm is disposed having puncture-defining projections directed toward the other of said elements.

(3. A structure as specified .in claim 5 in which the puncture-definitig projections are in the form of feet formed upon the lilm retainer.

7. In a film socket, the combination of an insulating base having terminal binding posts, a conductive socket fitting into said base, said socket being screw threaded to receive the base of the lamp, means for electrically connecting' said socket to one of the binding posts, a conductor for connecting the center contact of the lamp to the other binding post, a circular dielectric lilm adjacent to the inner end of the socket and a film retainer having feet in electric connection with said conductor, said retainer having a spring at one side for pressing the retainer feet against the i'ilin in a direction toward the end of the socket, the other side of the retainer being liftable to permit the film to be shifted to thereby bring a new surface into contact with said feet.

8. In a film socket, the con'ibination of an insulating base having binding` pests. a conductive socket fitting into said base and having an internal thread for receiving the base of the lamp, means for electricallyv connecting said socket to one of the binding` post center conductor for connecting the center contact of the lamp with the other binding` post. an annular dielectric film resting upon the inner end of the socket, an annular film retainer surrounding said center conductor, said retainer being in electric connection with said center contact and having a spring at one side and a lifting ear at the other, and feet between the spring and the car, pressing upon the lilm, whereby, when the voltage becomes excessive, the current will pass through from the feet to the socket.

9. A film socket having a base provided with a self closing line switch, a metallic shell adapted to be inserted into the base and thereby open the line switch and put the shell in circuit, said shell being internally threaded for the reception of a standard lamp base, the inner end of the shell having an annular surface, an annular dielectric film adapted to contact said surface, and a film retainer for holding the film in place, said retainer1 being in circuit with the center contact of the lamp when the lamp is in place and having projections of restricted area for contacting the iihn, to thus define the points at which the rupture of the lihn shall occur.

10. In a device of the class described, the combination of an insulating base having terminals for connecting to the external supply conductors, a conductive screw socket iitting into said base, means for electrically connecting said socket to one of the terminals, a center conductor in position to engage the center contact of the lamp, means for connecting said center conductor to the remaining terminal on the base, a iihn adjacent to the inner end of said socket, and a iihn retainer in electric connection with said center conductor, said retainer passing around over the edge of the end of the socket and fastened to the socket through the 1nedium of a resilient strip, whereby the retainer may be swung up away from the inner end of the socket and leave the end surface thereof clear.

11. In a series lighting device, an insulating base, a threaded shell adapted to be removably inserted into the base and having internal screw threads for making contact with and supporting the outer contact of a standard electric lamp base, the inner end of said shell being Substantially flat and at right angles to the aXis of the device, an annular film adapted to rest directly upon the inner end of the shell, and a lilm retainer adapted to back up the lilm, said retainer being mechanically fastened inside of the shell and passing out through an aperture in the side of the shell and there resiliently connected to the external portion of the retainer.

12. In a device of the class described, the combination of a-base, a screw socket adapted to receive the threaded base from a standard electric lamp, spring clips for yieldingly engaging or releasing the socket when a straight line push or pull is exerted on the socket, and non-yielding means for locking the socket against rotation in the which the clips are permanently mounted inside the base.

14. A lighting socket having an insulating base having binding` posts, spring clips in said base, a conductive socket having an internal screw thread for receiving a lamp base, said socket being adapted to be engaged by said clips when a straight line push is exerted upon the socket, one of said clips being electrically connected to one of the binding posts, means for establishing electric connection between the center contact of the lamp and the second binding post, a dielectrie ilni lying` against the socket and a ilm retainer yieldingly pressing upon said lni, said film retainer being in electric Connection with said second binding post, said socket having a pocket into which one of the spring clips may drop to prevent rotation of the socket.

15. A series lighting device having an insulating base provided with line terminals and a self closing line switch, an internally threaded metalli@ shell adapted to receive "the lamp base, said shell carrying a center Contact adapted to engage the center contact of the lamp, and to automatically open the line switch in the base when inserted into the base, and spring` clips mounted in said base and adapted to yieldingly engage the shell when the latter is inserted with a straight-in push, the shell and the clips having laterally engaging shoulders for positively preventing rotation of the shell when the lamp is screwed into it or unscrewed from it.

16. A structure as speciied in claim 15, further characterized in that one of the spring clips is electrically connected to one of the terminals in the base and thereby forms an electric conductor to energize the shell.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed Iny name.

HERMAN H. Asrinvcnn.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner o Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

